How much electricity do you use?

[Travis_0004]

I see a lot of talk about global warming, fracking and coal being bad, but there doesn't seem to be a ton of discussion about cutting electricity use in the house, so I wanted to get an idea of how much electricity people use.

Last month I used 156kwh (up from 145 the month before), and 5 CCF of natural gas for water heating.

I think I can get below 125 KWH for the next 30 days. I'll have 0 air conditioning use (only 2 days use last month), and the cooler temp will help the fridge use less electricity. Also, I don't need to use any fans (but might break out the heated mattress pad). I live in Cincinnati. I'm sure Texas is still using Air Conditioning, and New England is using heat at least at night.

I'm sure some people with solar will kick my butt, or even have some negative bills, and I'm a bit envious of that. I still have incandescent lights in my kitchen, so once I replace those, I should be able to drop even lower. (I need to install an LED comparable dimmer, and that will require a larger box. It will be done next month.

[yeoman6987]

1. I use around 215 KWH

I could probably do better.

[MADem]

2. No heat in New England at night, here!

That's what a spare blanket is for!

I am gradually switching over to LED light bulbs. I do pretty good with electricity, overall. Don't know what my numbers are, but the electric company classifies me as a VERY efficient user.

I have a really good solar flood light in the back yard. I got it on sale and it's been kicking ass for three years now--lights up the whole yard any time I let a dog out to pee or a critter or leaf crosses its path.

[hollysmom]

10. I wont turn onthe heat until October and only when I need too - too cheap!

[NYC_SKP]

3. I take it you mean household only, right?

I mean if you want to include natural gas then your aren't talking exclusively about electrons.

I thank you for the post, in any event.

To answer your question, I can live with a battery backed up 1.2kW system, or 1.0 kW grid tied.

You do know what these figures mean, right?

[Travis_0004]

9. Yup I know what you are saying

I was just trying to make it a fair comparison. Natural gas takes energy to drill for and once winter hits I will really use a lot more natural gas

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. 102.4kWh...Houston. 2600 s.f. ranch. A/C set at 76/day 72/night. No lights on during

the day (I've got a LOT of windows) and a wind energy plan through Green Mountain.

From my "Weekly Snapshot"

Last Week's Environmental Impact
You avoided an estimated 831 lbs of CO2**
Which is like recycling 2747 aluminum cans instead of sending them
to the landfill:

[Nye Bevan]

5. Lots in the summer because I love AC.

Much, much less in the winter (gas heat)

[ileus]

6. 1261KWh lowest bill of the year.

Max was 3852 in Jan...

[pinboy3niner]

7. I'm always well "within baseline" for Tier 1 despite triple-digit temps here in the high desert. nt

[Tikki]

8. Never an air-conditioner or a heater....mild weather here...am using a window box fan this time...

of year...it's our Summer here in So Cal even along the Coast.
Just the computers, appliances and occasionally TV and stereo. Looking at my check register and averaging out
for 12 months we pay about $57.00....our gas bills are considerably less.


The Tikkis
ps We hope to go Solar or Wind.....

[dumbcat]

11. Average of about 1250 kWhrs per month

here in Texas.

2100 sq ft home. A/C eats a lot in summer. I'm in an all electric house, so winter heat is also electric heat pump. Under 900 kWhr a month for a couple months in spring and fall when weather is nice.

I pay about 10 cents per kWHr for electricity. Straight rate, no time of use adjustments.

I would have a 5 kW solar panel system if it wasn't for shading issues on my lot.

[Agschmid]

12. No heat here in Mass... And we won't until October.

[tazkcmo]

13. Don't know the numbers in KW

but my bill is under 30 bucks.

[AngryAmish]

14. None.

I am afraid of being electrocuted.

[AnalystInParadise]

15. As much as I need

It varies. Summers in Arizona require a lot of electricity and that pool isn't going to circulate itself. In the winter time, not nearly as much. I think the variance in the seasons is a nice balance to our energy usage.

[Puzzledtraveller]

16. I turn lights off and even unplug some appliances in rooms not in use

I prefer low light also so the room I'm currently in only has two lamps with low wattage energy efficient bulbs on. I had my own apartment until recently, and my energy bill was very low. I could find a statement and locat the usage for the size apartment I had. Currently my wife, our baby and I live in the bottom apartment of my in-laws duplex. I am not sure what we are using as a whiole as they are letting us stay here rent free, utility free, while I return to school. All in all I try to conserve, my dad was always on us about leaving lights and electronics on when we were kids and that has stuck with me to this day.

[aikoaiko]

17. $100 in winter and $350 in summer.

[Historic NY]

18. I used more than usual this Sept its been the hootest on record here...but

I'm going to solar soon hope to drop my bill by over $100 a month.

[handmade34]

19. 179kWh... and this is my provider

Washington Electric Cooperative:

Technology Type(s):
Biogas, Hydro
Founded in 1939, Washington Electric Co-op is a consumer-owned utility serving 10,500 households and businesses in 41 rural towns in Orange, Washington and Caledonia Counties. The Co-op’s members receive approximately two-thirds of their electricity from WEC’s landfill gas generating plant in Coventry. WEC has also operated its own small hydro plant at the Wrightsville reservoir since the 1980s. WEC was an early supporter of First Wind’s project in Sheffield and will be receiving a portion of that facility’s output. In 2006, Washington Electric Co-op was honored to receive REV’s Renewable Energy Industry Champion Award.

[DebJ]

20. My goodness do you people live by yourself with no one else? What really low uses!

Let's see if this will post properly when copied from Excel.
All I can say is our useage is going down, even though we are now both home almost all the time. The bottom line of numbers
shows the change from the previous year. Our electric company just does estimates every other month.
I was in college until Dec 2008, burning a lot of midnight oil and running the computer constantly with papers. Also we had an
electric stove circa 1965 that was definitely burning up energy; same with a refrigerator circa 1982. The attic insulation is probably
the original stuff from 1954; it looks like it! So in the summer, all the heat descends into the living room on the first floor. We did get
a really nifty new hot water heater, that heats only when the water is used, and the gas pilot is lit by the force of the running water... no
electric required, and even without electricity, we have hot water!
I always thought a brick house was the best choice for utilities, a little 1200 sq foot one, not realizing that in 1954 they didn't bother to
insulate the walls! And our air conditioner... the HVAC guy said it might be the oldest still-running AC unit in the country. The windows
really need replacing at this point too. We could save a lot of energy with some minimal investment, but hubby had to retire early due to
illness; I have to stay home to take care of him; and as I've griped often enough on here, our health insurance is 1500 a month so there
is no money to invest. We had a small emergency fund but this year our chimney needed repairs (sagging living room ceiling from leaking)
and termites invaded too, and that wiped us out. So, at this point we are robbing Peter to pay Paul until Medicare provides SOME help next
year. At that point, if our bad luck will please exhaust itself, it will take us three years to dig out of the hole the last 2.5 years plus the next six
months are putting us in. Jeezy you guys make me feel so guilty! We live in South Central Pa. We do have a hybrid car!

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
723 927 960 1004 912 766 780 757
843 817 873 882 501 574 553 562
850 800 639 780 537 633 591 571
638 736 719 491 765 537 562 627
509 629 586 581 915 849 895 780
776 952 997 1130 815 870 667 654
1308 1631 1407 1774 1810 1895 1460 1337
1746 1560 1810 1658 1552 1715 1275 1469
1458 1845 1255 1362 1667 1107 1096 976
898 750 727 472 459 867 1003
1219 674 668 594 634 639 581
864 681 640 824 673 725 600

11832 12002 11281 11552 11240 11177 10063 7733
2369 170 -721 271 -312 -63 -1114

Oct 2009 stove converted to gas
Aug 2010 new fridge

Here's our natural gas usage in gallons (without the 'thermal multiplier' factor. We've had leaks three times in our house, fixed Dec 2007, Jan 2010, and most recently April 2013, but it was leaking the first four months of 2013 apparently, because the Mr. didn't listen to me when I told him not to pile his hobby stuff near the water heater, and he partially disengaged the gas line! I just thought I was ill a lot! The gas leak was so bad, that even with a winter with innumerable days below zero, we used LESS gas or almost the same each month the first part of 2014: an extra 220 gallons over the previous year. I was too drain bamaged with headaches, nausea, unable to sleep (while the furnace ran all night) to realize what was going on, and I stay out of the colder basement in the winter except for doing laundry, so it wasn't until I actually really smelled it strongly in April that I found out what was happening. And I smoke... we were lucky!

2007 08 09 10 11 12 13 14
114 178 227 195 225 167 218 215
208 223 165 197 132 137 196 187
106 167 142 130 135 75 170 179
115 66 87 151 73 77 92 105
20 55 25 30 23 25 63 47
29 12 43 33 27 35 21 17
13 18 11 14 13 14 12 19
22 3 18 11 17 18 14 11
17 10 14 13 16 16 14
35 53 61 40 48 57 44
120 128 93 112 120 124 113
231 191 224 174 103 155 180

1030 1104 1110 1100 932 900 1137 780
464 74 6 -10 -168 -32 237

On edit number umpteen: the more I try to straighten the columns, the more skewed the numbers get!

[Jamaal510]

21. I think I use

a good amount (especially for my laptop), but luckily my apartment has solar panels, so my landlord doesn't charge us for electricity or water. When I'm back at my parents' house, however, I try to cut back a little to help them with the electric bill.

[NutmegYankee]

22. Spring/Fall 350 KWh. Winter/Summer 550 KWh

More energy use to run the blower motor for heat and AC. I have several server PCs running, so that accounts for a lot of my base load use.